glenn

Why mexican coke is gray market? -- One distributor told me the reason the authorities hassled him was because the bottled coke was known to explode. I let it go and paid it no nevermind. Then it happened to us. We were rinsing the bottles with warm water to get the stupid label off that incorrectly listed ingredients such as corn syrup (it's a mystery why they put it on) and the bottle burst in pieces. Fortunately, no one was injured. Apparently, there really is a safety issue. Now I'm rethinking stocking it. Definitely no more warm water rinsing.

Thanks for the kind words. Ejebud, fyi, my wife is banned from melt :). Blondie, the specials have become a blur, but I think the cherry wensleydayle was paired with strawberry dijon and honey maple ham. I believe you got the rosemary manchego special correct. Aside from meeting and talking to eG'ers, my favorite part of the day comes in the morning when we determine the specials. That buffalo cheddar is the most popular cheese after american and cheddar. I had to search high and low for it and only found one purveyor that carries it.

It’ll be great to have you! By PATH… take the Journal Square (JSQ) or Newark train to the Grove St. stop. It’s the 2nd stop in NJ and it’s after the Pavonia Station. That lets you off on the corner of Grove St. and Newark Ave. (Newark Ave. starts at Grove St.) Walk west on Newark Ave. to Jersey Ave – Jersey Ave. is the first light and about 4 blocks from the station. Turn right onto Jersey Ave. and we’re 3.5 blocks on the left at 581 Jersey. C-Town is caddy corner to us, there’s a big Gabagoolz sign next to us and if you pass the funeral home you’ve gone too far (in more ways than one :) If you end up driving… we’re only a few minutes from the Holland Tunnel. When you get out of the tunnel, you go through about 5 lights before the highway begins (1&9 to the left and the Turnpike to the right). The last light is Jersey Ave - make a left on Jersey Ave. You’ll have to go around Hamilton Park which you’ll come to a few blocks after turning onto Jersey Ave. Just make a left, right, right and left to go around the park and you’re back on Jersey Ave. We’re 4.5 blocks on the right.

Tamara, how will the summer week differ from the winter event?

Everytime I think we've found THE best sandwich, along comes another one... here's what the chef and I came up with and have been specialling the past week... double gloucester, carmelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and a hint of sage on thick sliced pullman bread (levain or multigrain).

Why? ← I've asked this question to various people "in the know" and I could find no agreement. Some thought it was illegal and some just thought it was immoral. I started asking when I was a server who had a percentage taken off my cc tips. The owner felt justified and most of the servers had no idea it was wrong. That was the last place I ever worked where tips were deducted this way, but it was not the only place where I worked where the owners were less than honest. That said, I generally ask the server if they'll get the tip right away on the cc and if they'll get all of the tip. If they do, I'll leave it on my card. If not, I'll usually pay cash. :) ← Here's my take. Bear in mind I've always worked back of the house managing the finances. I worked for one (out of about 6) restaurant that dedcuted the cc discount. My only problem with this was that it was a bookkeetping nightmare and not worth the savings to the restaurant because of all the time involved to calculate the discounted tips. Other than that, I found nothing wrong with the practice. If the the restaurant only receives 95 cents on the dollar on credit card tips, why should the server receive any more? In larger restaurants, this can be a substantial cost/savings. If the consumer is so concerned about the server receiving the entire tip, let them leave a cash tip. Others here have commented that they are happily oblivious of what happens to the credit card tip and I don't disagree with that thinking. However, if you are aware that the server might not receive the entire amount or not receive it promptly and you care, then you should leave cash. I always do. As for the legality, I did check with the restaurant association when I worked for the restaurant that deducted the discount - I was told it was legal. And I can think of no reason why it wouldn't be.

Why?

Many restaurants have entered into a reciprocal agreement with the IRS to report all of the tips, but other than that, there is no rule that waiters have to declare a certain percentage of sales as tips. Some (many?) restaurants implement such a policy, but the legality of it is questionable. [the employer is in a precarious situation - damned if they do and damned if they don't - on the one hand, IRS can penalize the restaurant (and employee) if they find not enough tips are being reported and on the other, the restaurant is not allowed to declare an arbitrary amount of tips - like 15% of sales - for the server.]

I hear ya and I don't disagree. But getting back to the credit cards vs. cash thread, some restaurants charge the servers the credit card discount fee on credit card tips. Also, some restaurants don't pay out credit card tips immediately - some places include it in the paycheck making the server "wait" a week or more before they get the tips. One reason people become servers is because of the instant cash.

The Roker show was a real trip and I'm really blown away by all the attention over a lousy grilled cheese sandwich :). The show will be on in about 2 months. They don't have a date yet but I'll let y'all know when I know. Thanks Allie and Chris - it was wonderful having you. The montchevre has turned out to be one of our most popular specials and it really lends itself well to what we do. I'd add it to the regular menu but I'm running out of space for all of our cheese.

Somewhat related to the cash thing... how many people actually check their check for addition and that the prices are the same as the menu? You generally don't have to worry about addition when a computer (point of sale) system is used, but menu prices might not be up to date. I was shocked at how many mistakes my servers made in both addition and incorrect prices. (Checks that are presented to the customer are hand-written and added manually, then rung up in the cash register after payment.) I now check almost every check. What shocked me more is that I only had a couple of people point out mistakes.

Most restaurants don't change prices based on a spike in costs and they absorb the additional cost. Maybe a handful adjust prices, but that is not the norm. But what's wrong with that? If the cost of ingredients goes up by 25%, why should a restaurant have to suffer? Most every other industry adjusts their price if their costs change. But I digress....

The reasons vary why some restaurants choose not to accept credit cards and frankly, I think the reasons are irrelevant. I have no problem with a restaurant taking cash only - high end or inexpensive - as long as a cash only policy is plainly posted where the diner can see it before sitting down. This includes posting the policy on a website if there is one as well as telling people on the phone. Regarding the statements that restaurants need to qualify credit-wise to accept credit cards, I don't believe that's true any longer. There was no credit check on my place.

Visa and mastercard raised their rates making their "effective" rate higher than AMEX if the average check is low. In any event, m/vc are in the same ballpark as amex now, but at least amex is upfront about the charges. The quoted rate that credit card processors give for v/mc, usually somewhere around 2.5%, is a myth and this industry should have their nose hairs pulled out for misleading business owners. There's a myriad of other fees, including a transaction fee which brings the real rate - in my case - close to 4%.

Besides eliminating the credit card fees, some businesses don't take credit cards to facilitate tax avoidance. I have a 20 seat sandwich shop in NJ. I had no intention of taking credit cards when I opened a short time ago - frankly I didn't think it was necessary figuring the average sale would be under $15. The 2nd day I was opened, I lost 1 sale and another customer didn't buy as much as he would have as a result of not accepting credit cards. So I gave in and decided to take them without making it obvious, like posting the credit card logos or having the machine in view. To my amazement, about 20% of my sales are now credit cards and I have an unanticipated expense. However, I also generate more sales - people buy more as a result and it is more than paying off.

Any idea where they were bottled? I have to assume it wasn't in the US since domestic bottlers aren't equipped to use The Real Thing.

Cool jerk it is! How could I not think of that?! Which brings me to making up for a huge oversight. I know I’ve sort of said it before, but I really need to give credit where it’s due. Melt’s (thus far short-lived) popularity can be attributed to a great extent to this site. [btw, popularity does not equate to financial success.] Melt would not be melt (literally and otherwise) if it was not for this site. I’m speaking the gospel truth and I’m not just blowing hot air like I often do. Could this be the first business in the history of the internet to be opened with contributions (of ideas) from the cyberworld? I received help in so many areas that it’s hard to remember who and what. But a quick reflection on this site’s contributions… the name “melt,” the PR firm, incredible assistance with the entire coffee program including installation of equipment, tea & hot chocolate suggestions, lots of suggestions for toppings on the sandwiches, the bread (Balthazar), the ice cream (Bassetts), other miscellaneous vendors, the ventless french fry machine, hickory syrup [!!], mexican coke and probably a bunch of other things that elude me for the moment. This place has been the best source for info and the first place I turn to when I need help. A BIGTIME thanks to eglutton.

Jason, many thanks for those super pictures and kind words. And to boot, thanks to Jason, I'm wowing customers with our pure shagbark hickory syrup on our belgian waffles. Move over maple syrup. Frank, in a nutshell, I have no culinaray background except for a home economics class I took in 7th grade. I got an A if that helps. I learned pretty much everything on my own - researching, asking questions and doing a short internship at Grilled Cheese NYC, a place with a somewhat similar concept on the lower east side whose owner was kind enough to let me pick his brain. One reason Melt has turned out to be popular is having the best PR people in the world, Karen Schloss and Frank Diaz. Also, in addition to our product being top notch (if I must say so myself), I concentrated on being a neighborhood place and offering the kind of service I would wanna get. I am very much aware of my surroundings, and, as a result, have tried to make Melt a communtiy gathering place. We've made it kid friendly by getting high chairs and having free candy available all over the store. We display local art and participate in community events - recently there was an art exhibit at a gallery which we donated a protion of food. We go way overboard to please and will accomodate any request if we can. I try to treat everyone special whether they're regulars or come from out of the area. I've learned not only from being in the business for years, albeit mostly the back of house, but also from my own experiences in dining out. I made the place sort of into the place that I would like to go - extremely casual, comfortable, great music and super unpretentious service.

touargesand - my guess is a portion of cole slaw is about 10 cents based on a cost of 60 cents / lb. and 6 servings per pound. CaliPoutine - Melt in Jersey City (there's a thread on it in the NJ section.) What is kimchee?

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. It absolutely does cost 50 cents or more. I have to include all costs involved, not just the cost of the food. There's waste, storage and other factors to consider. Actually, another reason I'd prefer not to serve salad is we don't have storage space for all the mesclun. No, we offer plenty of toppings including tomato for an extra charge and lettuce for free. About offering soup - we do have a half sandwich and soup special. Serving soup as a side with every sandwich is not something most people want. lol, my informal poll of customers indicates that's what people want. My concern with chips is that it will cut into my french fry biz - I spent a minor fortune on our ventless fryer and need to recoup the costs. Btw, I have to say for frozen fries, you can't get much better than ours especially with the homemade spice topping we use. Hah, good point. We offer 3 free toppings - dijon, branston pickles and onions. It's amazing how many people order all 3 regardless of how well it goes with the sandwich. good idea but impractical for us. We're struggling for storage space as it is and are looking to cut down on inventory. Definitely food for thought, thanks. good points and ones I gave a lot of thought to. While I've only been in biz a short time, I know intuitively that salad is not a wise option for the reasons mentioned. but yes, some customers will be put off when they don't get what they expected - the answer to that is to let every customer know (for a period of time) what the side dish is (and it will be on the menu.) I think we're gonna go with a mildly spicy cole slaw. Thanks again everyone.

Evie, keep thinking :) Actually, I'm gonna stick with The Great Dane and go with The Jerk for the other one. I can't wait to get an order for The Jerk and Ugly American. David, thanks for the compliment... I value it very highly considering who it comes from, not that I don't take any critiques seriously (well, most.) And it was great meeting you too.

You guys have got such a great imagination (and I have none) - I was hoping you could help name a couple of new sandwiches that we're adding to our menu. 1. Horseradish havarti, smoked turkey and peach chutney. All I've been able to come up with so far is the Great Dane. 2. Swiss, mango salsa, honey dijon and curry. It's temporarily called the Caribbean. thanks!

lreda stated in another thread: "The reason: I'm getting sick of people not finishing their accompinments(sic). It seems like a waste of food. The sides are good..." I have a similar complaint. We are a sandwich place whose menu centers around a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches. We serve a very nice fresh green salad (and fresh slice of tomato) with every sandwich. I'd say about 20% of the salads go untouched and about another 20% are half-eaten. With the price of mesclun going up and tomatoes being expensive, my choice is either to raise the price of the sandwich by about 50 cents (about 10%) or serve another side, such as a nice pasta salad, and keep the price the same. Which would you prefer? If I go to a less expensive side dish, what do you suggest? Other places with a related concept either serve no accompaniment or taco chips. I don't want to go that route though.

4:55pm, I just got a call - it will be on tonite... jeez

That's precisely what happened. It's postponed until next week. However, I understand they've been running teasers about our "ugly american" all day.